10 things you might not know about salt

CaptionThe beloved seasoning

Salt has seasoned the language in many ways. Because Romans put salt or brine on their vegetables, the word "salad" developed. Because Roman soldiers were given money to buy salt, the word "salary" was coined. Also, "Glitter" is 1950s prison slang for salt. In promoting the Louisiana Purchase,...

Salt has seasoned the language in many ways. Because Romans put salt or brine on their vegetables, the word "salad" developed. Because Roman soldiers were given money to buy salt, the word "salary" was coined. Also, "Glitter" is 1950s prison slang for salt. In promoting the Louisiana Purchase,...

Dozens of advice books tell the story of a job applicant who went to lunch with his prospective boss, only to lose the job because he salted his food before tasting it  thus demonstrating a closed mind. But one of the most famous Americans, Elvis Presley, routinely showered his food with salt...

Dozens of advice books tell the story of a job applicant who went to lunch with his prospective boss, only to lose the job because he salted his food before tasting it  thus demonstrating a closed mind. But one of the most famous Americans, Elvis Presley, routinely showered his food with salt... (Hulton Archive)

According to a superstition, spilling salt can cause bad luck  an idea that may have originated with Leonardo da Vinci's painting "The Last Supper," which shows Judas Iscariot knocking over a salt container. Start at Jesus, move three heads to the left. Judas has spilled the salt, which looks...

According to a superstition, spilling salt can cause bad luck  an idea that may have originated with Leonardo da Vinci's painting "The Last Supper," which shows Judas Iscariot knocking over a salt container. Start at Jesus, move three heads to the left. Judas has spilled the salt, which looks... (Leonardo da Vinci)

When flashy New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath hailed a cab one morning in 1965, he was carrying two apples and a salt shaker. He told reporters he liked to salt his apples, explaining. "I always eat apples that way."

When flashy New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath hailed a cab one morning in 1965, he was carrying two apples and a salt shaker. He told reporters he liked to salt his apples, explaining. "I always eat apples that way." (Getty Images)

Michael Jordan's mother, Deloris, and sister, Roslyn, wrote a childrens book in 2000 called "Salt in His Shoes," about how young Michael was upset about being smaller than his basketball-playing friends and was comforted when his mom told him he would grow taller if he put salt in his shoes...

Michael Jordan's mother, Deloris, and sister, Roslyn, wrote a childrens book in 2000 called "Salt in His Shoes," about how young Michael was upset about being smaller than his basketball-playing friends and was comforted when his mom told him he would grow taller if he put salt in his shoes...